Patents Examined by Richard Bertsch
  • Patent number: 5846060
    Abstract: A pump which has a piston (30) which is reciprocatingly moved vertically inside a tubular housing (32) to extract fluid from the bottom of a well (29). The piston (30) is attached to a motor (12) for driving it and has a horizontally extending base plate (50) with a central opening (52) provided with a plug (64) functioning as a check valve. As the fluid is pumped, the plug (64) is raised and the fluid flows into a high pressure reservoir (35) above the base plate (50). When the pressure inside the reservoir (35) exceeds a specified level, the base plate (50) is moved downward against an upward biasing force. This opens an annular port (51) exposing bleed ducts (56) and allows some of the fluid in the reservoir (35) to flow back into low pressure chamber (37) located below the base plate (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Inventors: Ernesto Y. Yoshimoto, Carlos Y. Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 5772405
    Abstract: A water system includes a reciprocating pump operated by pedal power. The pumpstand includes a housing in which a foot pedal and a drive shaft rotate. An eccentric pin, rotating with the drive shaft, moves a connecting rod, which in turn causes a pushrod to oscillate vertically. The pushrod extends into a pressure-tight chamber formed above the rising main (wellpipe). A pumprod connected to the pushrod extends to move a conventional plunger through vertical oscillations. A flywheel is attached to the drive shaft, and a counterweight is mounted on the flywheel diametrically opposite the eccentric pin. The radial distance from the drive shaft to the counterweight can be adjusted. A discharge pipe extends from the pressure-tight chamber to an elevated or pressurized storage tank. A distribution pipe from the storage tank feeds water to a number of distribution points, such as faucets in houses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: MWI Corporation
    Inventor: James David Eller
  • Patent number: 5771695
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the time response of a turbo-compressor assisted internal combustion engine wherein the turbo-compressor is driven by an electric motor at a speed somewhat less than its full-load operating speed until such time as the turbo-compressor is driven at a higher speed by an exhaust gas turbine. The electric motor is provided to maintain the minimum rotational speed of the turbo-compressor when the engine load is low so that the turbo-compressor is ready for prompt response when driven by increasing exhaust gas as a result of additional load demand on the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Inventor: Edward M. Halimi
  • Patent number: 5672053
    Abstract: An improved reed type compressor discharge valve assembly uses a conventional reed and reed stop, but increases flow efficiency past the reed with a uniquely configured valve plate. The valve plate has a round discharge port of conventional size and diameter, but the surface of the valve plate beneath the reed is formed with a recessed channel that opens into the near edge of the port. This provides a more open and less restricted flow path out of the port, and creates an effectively greater opening height for the reed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Nick George Sabha
  • Patent number: 5653110
    Abstract: A jet engine component, such as an aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade or a scramjet engine fuel injector. The component has a wall portion including a first surface exposable to a cooler, higher static pressure fluid and a second surface exposable to a hotter, lower static pressure gas flow flowing across the second surface. The component further includes a generally straight film coolant passageway having an inlet on the first surface and an outlet on the second surface. The second surface has a seamless groove which is open substantially entirely along its longitudinal dimension extending from the outlet along the lower static pressure gas flow for improved film cooling of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Nesim Abuaf, Paul Stuart Wilson
  • Patent number: 5616020
    Abstract: A rotary vane pump comprising a housing having an inner cam surface defining a chamber and an inlet and an outlet port establishing fluid communication. A plurality of vanes are arranged substantially radially about a central vane axis of rotation. A rotatable carousel rotor is positioned on a drive axis displaced a predetermined distance from the central vane axis. The carousel has slot members positioned in it for reciprocally carrying each vane during the rotation of the vane. A one-piece central rotor gear is rotatably mounted on the central axis for pivotally coupling each vane at a point offset from the vane axis to establish rocking lever action between the carousel and the vanes upon rotation of the vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Quik Pump, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas B. Firestone
  • Patent number: 5593292
    Abstract: A valve cage whose tubular side wall has a progressively diminishing thickness between the seat and the stop means, whereby the bore is tapered and upwardly enlarging in that interval. Therefore the flow area between the ball provided in the bore and the side wall increases as the ball ascends. The side wall has ball guide ribs which project inwardly and increase in height at the same rate as the wall thickness diminishes, so that the ribs form a race of constant diameter, for guiding the ball as it moves vertically and preventing it from moving laterally. The ball stop is positioned at the top of the cage and the external thread for connection with the pump barrel is positioned intermediate the ends of the cage. This arrangement enables the seats of the travelling and standing valves to come close together at the bottom of the down stroke of the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Inventor: Ray K. Ivey
  • Patent number: 5591011
    Abstract: The oil sump and suction plenum of a hermetic compressor are in continuous fluid communication through an oil equalization port assembly. Additionally, communication is established between the oil sump and the suction plenum if pressure in the oil sump is greater than that in the suction plenum by more than a few pounds. Multiplexing is established through a port in the suction plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Michael N. Mantooth, Kevin D. Williams, Bruce A. Fraser
  • Patent number: 5570580
    Abstract: A gas turbine fuel nozzle and method of fuel flow provide resistance to coking of the fuel by means of a multiple passage heat transfer cooling circuit. Fuel streams to primary and secondary sprays of pilot and main nozzle tips are arranged to transfer heat between the pilot primary fuel stream and each of the main secondary fuel stream and the pilot secondary fuel stream. This protects the fuel in the streams from coking during both low flow, lower engine heat conditions and high flow, high engine heat conditions. This nozzle and flow can protect engines with both single tip and dual tip nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventor: Robert T. Mains
  • Patent number: 5562431
    Abstract: A compressor including an isolated backstop which reduces the amount of undesirable noise emitted from a compressor during operation. The backstop includes two or more isolating members which isolate the backstop and prevent direct contact between the backstop and the walls of compressor. The isolating members may be elastomeric members or springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company
    Inventor: Darrill L. Plummer
  • Patent number: 5558504
    Abstract: A device is proposed for applying material such as solder paste and glue in discrete points, particularly for applying solder paste on electronic circuit boards. The device comprises a pump house (202-205; 301, 307), a tube or a channel (206) by means of which material is fed to the pump house, a nozzle (111, 205) for feeding material from the pump house (202-205; 301, 307). Suitable upper and lower valve devices are arranged to block, at predetermined times, the feeding of material to and from the pump house (202-205; 301, 307). The lower valve device may possibly be replaced by a restriction device. As is conventional the pump house (202-205; 301, 307) comprises an outer pump cylinder (203; 307) and an inner piston (204; 301). The displacement of the piston (201; 301) is obtained by the fact that the piston is connected to a magnetostrictive rod (202; 308). This rod (202; 308) cooperates with a coil (208) arranged around the rod (202; 308).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Mydata Automation AB
    Inventor: Lennart Stridsberg
  • Patent number: 5558508
    Abstract: An elongated recess is provided on one side of a valve plate, and a piston is provided on the other side of the valve plate. Discharge holes are provided through the valve plate at the recess, and a pair of discharge reeds are disposed within the recess to close/open the discharge holes. A spring reed presses against the discharge reeds on sides thereof opposite to the discharge holes to close the discharge holes. A stopper is secured to the valve plate and fixes the spring reed into position. The operation of the discharge reed can be tested by the operation of the discharge reed alone, and refrigerant gas remaining in the discharge holes can be reduced, thereby improving compression efficiency. The two discharge holes are each associated with one of the pair of discharge reeds, thereby preventing over-compression loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration Company
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sasano, Koshi Hamada, Akihiko Kubota
  • Patent number: 5555719
    Abstract: A method of operating a combined-cycle gas and steam turbine power generating system on a single shaft 16 uses as a feedback to the speed control or governor a signal 22 representing the total power output of the generator less the total output of the steam turbine 12, which is then correlated with the error signal between the actual and reference speeds to alter the fuel flow to the gas turbine. By compensating the measured generator output by subtracting a value 24 representative of the steam turbine output so that the compensated signal 26 represents the contribution of only the gas turbine 10 to the generator output, a constant settable droop speed control system may be used in a single-shaft combined-cycle steam turbine and the gas turbine system to compensate for variable heating fuel value and/or changing combustion efficiency in dry low NO.sub.x combustion systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: William I. Rowen, Jens Kure-Jensen
  • Patent number: 5553448
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having improved output horsepower and a method of achieving it. The engine has, in order, a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustor, a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine. The high pressure turbine is drivingly connected to both compressors with a speed reducing gear box therebetween. An intercooler between the compressors reduces the horsepower requirement of the high pressure compressor. Flow from the combustor is sufficiently heated to enable the high pressure turbine to drive both compressors with the output horsepower of the low pressure turbine devoted to the engine load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William M. Farrell, Gary L. Leonard
  • Patent number: 5548952
    Abstract: A hydrogen gas jet pulse engine comprising a turbine assembly operatively connected to a generator. A manifold extension having a combustion chamber is in communication with a forward end of the turbine assembly. The employment of a mixture of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas into the combustion chamber will produce steam when lighted to drive the turbine assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Inventors: Theodore Stock, George Spector
  • Patent number: 5548954
    Abstract: A thrust reverser for a turbojet engine is disclosed in which the actuator for the thrust reverser is attached to a second support frame located downstream of the reverse thrust opening. A plurality of longitudinally extending beams interconnect the downstream support frame to an upstream support frame which is located upstream of the reverse thrust opening. A cylinder of the actuating device is attached to the downstream support frame and the extendible and retractable piston rod is attached to the moveable thrust reverser element. The location of the actuating device allows for a better stress distribution and enables the weight to be reduced as compared to prior art thrust reversers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Societe Hispano Suiza
    Inventors: Elisabeth L. F. C. de Cambray, Laurent M. Vicogne
  • Patent number: 5547254
    Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus includes a release lever provided on one side of a pair of lower arms, a lever corresponding to the release lever provided on the other side of the pair of lower arms, a connecting bar consisting of a torsion rod connecting the two levers, and a pawl cooperating with each lever. A cam member is combined with each pawl by being placed in a cam slot of the pawl, the combination is provided on both lower arms and the cam members are connected by the connecting rod. The release lever is connected solely to one of the cam members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoaki Hoshihara
  • Patent number: 5544479
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant operating on a dual Brayton cycle and utilizing a circulating pressurized fluidized bed combustor is disclosed. An open Brayton cycle is provided in which the hot flue gas from the fluidized bed combustor is expanded to extract work to drive compressors to supply combustion air for the fluidized bed combustor and to drive an electric generator to produce electricity. The residual heat of the flue gas exhausted from the open Brayton cycle can be utilized for heat cogeneration at high power-to-heat ratios. A closed Brayton cycle is also provided, the working medium of which is heated in an indirect heater of the circulating pressurized fluidized bed combustor and expanded to extract work to drive another electric generator. The air supplied by the open Brayton cycle is also used to fluidize the heated particles in the indirect heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Longmark Power International, Inc.
    Inventors: Xinglong Yan, Lawrence M. Lidsky
  • Patent number: 5545016
    Abstract: A pneumatic pump of the type having a pair of pump chambers each divided by a diaphragm assembly coupled by a main shaft includes a housing having a central valve chamber. The valve chamber is provided with a pair of internal walls between which a valve body reciprocates. The valve body alternatively connects passageways from the pump chambers to the pump exterior, while pressurized gas supplied to the valve chamber simulataneously pressurizes the other pump chamber. The valve body is mechanically coupled to the diaphragm shaft, whereby the pump chambers are pressurized and evacuated on synchronism with diaphragm operation. The valve body is accessible through an aperture in the housing, allowing the body to be replaced without pump disassembly. An integral counter, mounted in the pump housing, is also coupled to the diaphragm shaft, and provides a count of the number of shaft reciprocations performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Standard-Keil Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Yushan Wang
  • Patent number: 5540564
    Abstract: A rotary distributor fuel injection pump with a drive shaft coupled to a pump rotor by a radially offset and axially extending drive pin with a cylindrical head received within a radial slot in the rotor; a coaxial throughbore in the rotor providing a valve bore; a valve member in the valve bore axially shiftable to an open position by a compression spring; an electromagnet with an armature plate fixed to one end of the valve member and a stator operable, when energized, to axially shift the valve member to its closed position; a stop plate on the outer end of the rotor having an outer end face engageable by the armature plate, the end face having a plurality of lands and grooves to hydraulically dampen the axial movement of the valve member to its open position when the stator is deenergized; the armature plate having a hub received within an opening in the stop plate to couple the armature plate and valve member to the rotor; an annular thrust washer and needle bearing between the rotor and a distributor he
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Stanadyne Automotive Corp.
    Inventor: Kenneth H. Klopfer